"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." Jer 29:11 (NIV)

Monday, May 20, 2024

On The Road Again Blog Hop starts today

 



The challenge:

Make a project that shows travel vehicles of any kind.
Planes, trains, automobiles, bikes, trucks, tractors, or whatever gets us
from one place to another. Use your creative imagination to show us ways to travel.
Or, make a project showing a place to travel to.

Look who will be playing along:

Wednesday, May 15, 2024

ScrapHappy - May 2024

 Welcome to ScrapHappy!   I'm glad to have you stop by and see what I've been doing with scraps this month.    Also don't forget to check out what the others have been doing as well.

Kate, Gun, Eva, Sue, Lynda, Birthe, Turid, Tracy, Jan, Moira, Sandra, Chris, Alys, Claire, Jean, Dawn, Gwen, Sunny, Kjerstin, Sue L,  Vera, Ann, Dawn2, Carol,  Preeti, Viv, Karrin, Amo, Alissa, Lynn, Tierney and Hannah

First up, this month I used up most of the remaining novelty print rectangles.  The only ones left are those that are directional prints.  Border print used was the leftover fabric from a long ago scrub top.

The strips at an angle made from cotton single fold bias tape from my stash. I plan on donating this top.

Next up was finishing this top.  The center part had been finished for a couple of years.   I pulled a remnant of fabric from my stash to use for the striped border.   The yellow perfectly matched the yellow used in the center of the quilt.  A leftover pieced of white was cut into the white cornerstones of the border.   This will be donated.
My hand project this month, in memory of a dear friend (Susan N.) who passed away the end of April, was to start working on this square again.  Pieced with scraps from my CQ fabric stash (linens, silks, batiks, and specialty cottons), this top was started as a way to finally finish up a favorite piece of cross-stitch.  I'd gotten the left-hand tree done with an owl charm added this month, flowering vine around the kitten, and the big branch at the top.  First up was finishing the leaves with scraps of embroidery floss, and beading the hanging clusters of flowers with some of the many beads that I have.  Leftover bits from the left tree had me adding a tree branch at the bottom with a birds nest that I added 2 fresh water pearls to as eggs.  Final bit to be added has been decided for that bottom right corner.  This will be also used as my project for a blog hop in June with a bird theme. Hence the additions so far, with more to come.
While not my piecing, I couldn't resist posting pics of the next two quilts that were found in a box in the garage this month as I was working with my girlfriend to get things underway out there.   I think they were pieced by my mom, but with a mixture of scraps from her mom and her own scraps.   They are double sided, no batting.   Fabric is all polyester and finish out to a double size.
And finally, lots of scrap is being generated as the work at the house I inherited last year gets underway.   Kitchen counters has been dismantled and all the scrap is waiting to be hauled off.  Pantry shelves have been taken down, next up is the ruined drywall (old water damage in there) and removing the floor tiles in this area.   Bathrooms are then on the horizon for remediation as well.
Gratitudes: 
1. Work on the house is finally underway.   Lord willing I'll be able to live in the house by the end of June without too many surprises along the way.

2. For another round of commissions that will help pay for extra goodies that aren't in the budget presently.





Wednesday, April 24, 2024

April Showers blog hop - My Day

 This months challenge was to pose about what showers, such as baby or wedding showers, late snow showers, or "just because" gift showers for friends.  What do you like to shower everyone with?

"Just Because" Showers - 

I enjoy 'showering' friends with gifts throughout the year.   One of the gifts I make and share are pincushions.

I love to use interesting bits of glassware and pottery found while thrifting to make pin cushions for quilting friends.   One of these days I may make some for sale.

This pincushion was just finished last week.   It will be a birthday gift for one of my best friends.  I used a single candleholder that I found at a local Goodwill store and a scrap of red material.  There's room in it to hold thread and mini scissors while stitching.



One of my fav things to "shower" my friends with are quilted postcards.   I love sending notes to encourage them, wish them happy birthday, or just let them know I'm thinking of them.   And what better way than with a card that I've made.

Scraps from other projects, or things that often would be thrown out find homes in them.   Like the flowers on these that are made from drawstrings cut off of a pair of capri's and silk leaves that would have been tossed in the trash.  And yes, these flowers were a "What if I do this?" kind of experiment.  =)
My little cross-stitch pieces  or even ones that I've found in thrifting (like the ones shown in these pics), often find homes in my cards.  Scrapbooking supplies frequently get put to use in the cards as well.
More thrifted cross-stitch and scrap-booking goodies used in this one.
Silk flowers, hand-dyed motifs, ribbons, scrap-booking supplies and bids of old cutter quilts have all been used at one time or another.




Baby Showers - 
I love it when my friends have babies because that means I can make something cute as a gift for them.  Over the years I've made quilts for close friends and lately stuffed animals for babies and older siblings.   But I always keep a stack of baby bibs that I've made as a gift, and will usually wrap up 6 or 7 of them for a gift.

I'll add ribbons, lace, or like these take and add quilt blocks or partial blocks to wash cloths to decorate them.  The opening is just a half circle that I bind with double fold bias tape.   I use Wright's for this because I have a ton of it to use from all my years of sewing clothes.   

Be sure to check out what everyone else has posted today.



Gratitude's:

1. Estimate has been received for the needed work on the house, so I'm almost to the point of being able to get the remediation and restoration started at the house, putting me one step closer to being able to move in there and sell the mobile home where I'm at now.

2. For the blessings that come with long-time quilt friends, even when that comes with watching someone struggle with worsening health issues and knowing there is nothing that you can do to make it better. 







Monday, April 15, 2024

ScrapHappy - April 2024

Welcome to ScrapHappy day where everyone posts what they've done with scraps over the previous month.    Be sure to check out what everyone has posted about this month.



My first project is this toddler quilt top.  The center fabric was a remnant that I got as part of a bag of scraps that I bought somewhere about 18 months ago.   Fabric is from the Search and See line from In The Beginning Fabrics back in 2016.   After trimming the sides even, I was left with a 26 by 42 inch center piece.    

After letting it marinate for a while until it spoke to me, I finally decided that it would be a good one to leave in one piece and then just add borders until it got to a good size.  I added a 1/2" border from a WOW remnant that I had leftover from another project.   2nd border is made from the medium & light blues and turquoise string strips I made a couple of months ago.  Outer border is made from the remaining bit of the WOW used for the first border.   


After pulling out a 6" tall stack of novelty print squares earlier this week to send an online friend, I decided to use up the last strips of the novelty fabrics instead of putting them back into the tote they'd been in for years.   Cut all the scraps down to 4 1/2" by 9 1/2" and cut 1.5" sashing from an end of the bolt piece in my stash, there are teeny-tiny, multicolor stars on the black to add to the fun..  Just the sashing on the sides to go before adding a final border.   Will dig out something in the stash for a border, but don't know what yet.


Don't forget to check out what everyone else has done this month!


Gratitudes: 
1. Getting closer to being able to get the needed work on the house done.

2. For meds to help me breathe better..........even if I'm still struggling to breathe like I should consistently